Method of anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics



Get. 6, 1931. L. B. cHlsHcLM 1,326,240

METHOD OF ANCHORING THE ELASTIC STRANDS 0F ELASTIC FABRICS Filed June 26. 1930 z 1% *2 Fatented ct. F, 1931 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE LESTER B. ,CHISHOLMI, F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MILLS COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION METHOD OF ANCHORING- THE ELASTIC STRANDS OF ELASTIC FABRICS Application filed June as,

This invention relates to an improved method 7 of locally anchoring the elastic strands of an elastic fabric to the adjacent strands of relatively-inelastic material for a the purpose of preventing the creeping of the former with respect to the latter. Such elastic fabrics are variously referred to as elastic webbing]? elastic tape, and various other terms, largely dependent upon the to width of the fabric.

One of the main requirements for locally anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics has been to employ an adhesive of suflicient penetrative properties to effect such anchorage. Such penetrative adhesives, while (le sirable as regards their anchoring effect, are apt to penetrate by capillary action beyond the areas intended, with the result thatan article of unsightly appearance is produced.

The main object of this invention is to produce' a method of anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics which will permit the use of an effectively-penetrative liquid adhesive for locally anchoring the elastic strands to 3 the body of the fabric and, at the same time,

guard the portion ofthe fabric which it is desired to leave untreated against the penetration and consequent staining action, etc.,

of the adhesive.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear from the following, my in vention consists in a method of anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics characterized by first compressing the fabric at a point Where it is desired to limit the penetration of an anchoring adhesive and thereafter applying a liquid adhesive to the area of the fabric in which it is desired to anchor the elastic strands; whereby the penetration of the said adhesive is limited to an area lying to one side of the compressed portion of the fabric.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of alength of elastic fabric or webbing suitable for use in the manufacture of wrist bands, knee bands, etc., prior to having its elastic warp strands locally anchored in place;

Fig. 2 is a broken, enlarged-scale, transelastic war 1930. Serial -N0. 454,098.

.verse, sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face view corresponding to Fig.

1 but showing the ends of the length of elastic fabric after the same have been treated locally with a penetrative adhesive to anchor the elastic Warp strands to the immediatelyadjacent non-elastic warp and filler strands;

Fig. 4 is a broken, enlarged-scale, transverse, sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3;, I Fig. 5 is a schematic View in longitudinal section of a tank containing a liquid adhesive in which a number of lengths of elastic fabric are shown as being treated while held compressed in suitable clamping-means;

Fig. 6 is a broken, detail, sectional View in transverse section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5 but on a larger scale; and

Fig. 7 is a broken view corresponding to Fig. 6 but less comprehensive, and showing an elastic fabric folded upon itself and having a portion thereof immersed in a bath of liquid adhesive.

Elastic fabrics of any approved weave or other type of fabrication may be treated by means of my improved method but the particular elastic fabric 9 herein chosen for illustration consists, as shown, of a series of spacd-apart elastic warp strands 10 of rubber or equivalent material between the various pairs of which are located, in the usual manner, a series of relatively non-elastic Warp strands 11 of cotton, silk or equivalent textile materials. Transversely interwoven with the elastic warp strands and the nonstrands 11 are the usual weft threads or Her-picks 12.

It will be understood that in accordance with the usual practice, the elastic fabric may be woven in long strips to be ultimately cut into the desired lengths. Now for the purpose of preventing the elastic warp strands 10, which are normally under tension in the fabric, from creeping inward away from the adjacent ends of the severed length, as a result of handling and manipulation necessary for sewing or other operations, or as the result of strains in use, I impregnate a localized area'of such length of elastic fabric 9, 100

' preferably immediately adjacent the ends thereof, with a liquid adhesive such as latex. (represented in the drawings by stippling which serves to locally anchor the ends of 5 the said elastic warp strands to the immediately-adjacent portions of the non-elastic warp strands and the non-elastic weft strands or filler-picks in such manner that the portions of the said strands lying in this localized area are so united as to form a homogeneous unit, with the effect of anchoring the ends of the said elastic Warp strands against inward creeping away from that area.

To secure the anchoring effect just above recited without permitting the liquid adhesive to penetrate and disfigure such areas of the elastic fabric as it is desired to have remain untreated, I first compress the said fabric, either singly or in groups, between a pair of complementary clamping-'aws 13 and 14, each of which is of substantially U-shaped form, as shown in Fig. 5, and comprises a horizontal gripping-bar 15 terminating at its respective opposite ends in upstanding-arms 16 and 17.

The respective upstanding-arms 16 and 17 above referred to are pivoted together as at 18 (Fig. (3) and have installed between them a helical spring 19 exerting a constant effort to swing the horizontal gripping-bars 15 of the respective clamping-jaws toward each other.

The upstanding-arms 16 and 17 of the clamping-jaw 13 extend beyond the similar portion of the clamping-j aw 14 and have their upper ends provided with perforations 20 for the reception of the hook-like ends 21 of suspension-loops 22 mounted upon a longitudinal. supporting-bar 23 extending lengthwise of a tank 24 containing a bath of suitable liquid adhesive 25. f

Various modes of actually applying the liquid adhesive to the desired area of the clastic fabric may be employed, but I prefer the mode herein illustrated, namely, that of immersing the desired portion of the fabric in abath of liquid adhesive.

When the end of a section of fabric is immersed in the bath, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the adhesive will be absorbed by the fabric and will tend to creep upward by capillary attraction but upon reaching the transverse line defined by the clamping-jaws 13 and 14:, which are at the time tightly compressing the fabric, all further pe etration will cease, with the result that when the fabricis removed from the bath and permitted to dry for a short period of time and the clamping-j aws then removed, it will be found that the fabric is impregnated with the adhesive up to a very definitely-defined line represented by the point at which the clampingjaws had gripped the fabric.

Instead of. immersing the end of a section of fabric, the fabric may be impregnated intermediate its ends by folding it upon itself,

as shown in Fig. 7, and clamping it between the jaws 13 and 14-. In this instance, also, the jaws will function to limit the penetrative action of the adhesive to an area lying below their ends.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by means of my improved process it is possible to employ a highly-penetrative adhesive without occasioning the disfigurement of the fabric by uneven absorption.

\Vhile I have herein shown and described a preferred mode of applying theadhesive, namely, by immersion of the fabric, I wish to have it understood that my improved process is not so limited, since the adhesive may obviously be applied in a variety of ways.

I claim:

1. A method of locally anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics, consisting in first compressing the fabric at a point where it is desired to limit the penetration of an anchoring adhesive and thereafter applying a liquid adhesive to the areas of the fabric in which it is desired to anchor the elastic strands; whereby the penetration of the said adhesive is limited to an area lying to one side of the compressed portion of the fabric.

2. A method of locally anchoring the clastic strands of elastic fabrics, consisting in first compressing the fabric at a point where it is desired to limit the penetration of an anchoring adhesive and thereafter immersing the area of the fabric in which it is (le sired to anchor the elastic strands in a bath of liquid adhesive; whereby the penetration 1 of the said adhesive is limited to an area lying to one side of the compressed portion of the fabric.

3. A method of locally anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics, consisting in first compressing the fabric at a point where it is desired to limit the penetration of the anchoring adhesive between a pair of clamping-jaws and thereafter applying a liquid adhesive to the area of the fabric in which it is desired to anchor the elastic strands; whereby the penetration of the said adhesive is limited to an area lying to one side of the said clan'iping-jaws.

4;. A method of locally anchoring the elastic strands of elastic fabrics, consisting in first compressing the fabric at a point where it is desired to limit the penetration of the anchoring adhesive between a pair of clampingja ws and thereafter immersing the area of the fabric in which it is desired to anchor the elastic strands in a bath of liquid adhesive; whereby the penetration of the said adhesive limited to an area lying to one side of the said clamping-jaws.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

LESTER B. CHISHOLM. 

